Case Number 23838

MARVEL ANIME: IRON MAN

The Charge

"Soon now, my vision for Japan will become a reality."

Opening Statement

Marvel Anime: Iron Man is the first of four collaborations between
comic book colossus Marvel and anime studio Madhouse (Redline), as the
two companies attempt to deliver a fresh take on some of the best-loved
superhero franchises. The other collaborations being new takes on X-Men,
Wolverine, and Blade.

Facts of the Case

Tony Stark travels to Japan to install a new ARC station that will provide
unlimited, clean energy. During his visit, he also plans to demonstrate the Iron
Man Dio technology, a new suit that will serve as his replacement when he steps
down from being Iron Man. However, it soon becomes apparent that forces are at
work that not only wants to destroy Iron Man, but also force Tony Stark down a
darker path. During a demonstration of the Dio prototype, Stark loses control of
the suit when a terrorist organization called Zodiac hacks into the operating
system, utilizing the suit for their own nefarious ends. Putting his retirement
plans on hold, Stark must suit up and confront a face from the past he believed
to be long dead.

The Evidence

Incorporating themes long associated with Marvel's Iron Man from his lengthy
comic book run, while clearly aiming itself at fans brought in by the
live-action films who are looking for another Iron Man fix before the third
installment in the franchise hits theatres, Marvel Anime: Iron Man is a
fast-paced, remarkably entertaining show. Though admittedly not without its
flaws, fans old and new should find plenty to enjoy in the twelve-episode
run.

With Marvel mainstay Warren Ellis joined on writing duties by Toshiki Inoue
-- who worked on the excellent Death Note anime -- Marvel Anime: Iron
Man is blessed with a strong creative team, which is rounded out by director
Yuzo Sato (who served as one of the animators on the seminal Ninja Scroll
anime).

Critics of the show will point to the "monster of the week" format
it takes, which sees Iron Man take on another of Zodiac's creations in each
episode, but I counter by arguing this approach ensures the series moves at a
fast pace, acting as a constant reminder of the sustained threat posed by
Zodiac. This is an action-oriented show, and the series' writers never lose
sight of that. Even so, there's a good degree of depth afforded to the
characters, with Stark's new nemesis explored through a series of flashbacks
that flesh out the role considerably. There's also an interesting contrast
between Stark and his newly acquired enemy that offers a fresh (or fresher) take
on the supervillain.

I genuinely enjoyed Marvel Anime: Iron Man, and readily admit its
shortcomings had little impact on me. However, in the interests of fairness, it
should be pointed out that the show adds little new to the Iron Man mythology;
in fact, it could be argued that rather than add anything, this is simply a
regurgitation of existing material spruced up with a new lick of paint.

Visually, the show is inarguably a success, combining traditional hand-drawn
animation with a liberal use of CGI to great effect. Action scenes, on which the
show is heavily reliant, are awesome and extend a real sense of the threat faced
by Iron Man every time he goes up against another of Zodiac's mechanical
menaces. The design of Zodiac's seemingly inexhaustible line of robotic
nightmares continually impresses, with the standout being a H.R. Giger-inspired
creation that recalls the Xenomorph from the Alien franchise.

Marvel Anime: Iron Man is presented in a clean standard definition
1.85:1 anamorphic transfer. Colors are especially strong, and are complemented
by good black levels. The picture is reasonably sharp, and is free of any
obvious problems. Viewers are given the option of both a Japanese and English
dub, with both being delivered by way of impressive 5.1 mixes, most likely due
to the project being a US/Japanese co-production, the English dub is just as
impressive as its Japanese counterpart, and sports Adrian Pasdar (Heroes)
as Tony Stark.

Extras are strong for an anime release -- surprisingly so, in fact.

* "The Marvel Anime Universe: Re-Imagining Iron Man" -- Members of
the Marvel staff, including Jeph Loeb and Warren Ellis, discuss their excitement
at seeing Iron Man taken in a new direction by Madhouse. A good section of this
10-minute featurette focuses on the way Tony Stark is thrust into a clash of
cultures throughout the series, and how that presents something new for the
character.

* "Voicing Tony Stark" -- Keiji Fujiwara, who provides the voice
of Iron Man for the Japanese dub, talks about what drew him to the role of Tony
Stark.

* "21st Century Hero: The Technology of Iron Man" -- This short
featurette, which clocks in at a little over 7 minutes, focuses on the
technology employed by Iron Man, and how this has evolved with the times.

* "Special Cross Talk: Marvel Anime's Iron Man and Wolverine" --
In what is almost a mirror image of the "Re-Imagining Iron Man"
featurette, we get members of the Madhouse staff -- including director Yuzo Sato
-- talking about the challenges they encountered in interpreting these two
iconic characters for a Japanese audience, whilst ensuring they stayed true to
their roots.

Closing Statement

With a blisteringly fast pace and only twelve episodes, Marvel Anime: Iron
Man never risks overstaying its welcome. One or two examples of mild bad
language mean it isn't completely family friendly, but for the most part, it
delivers an action series that boys (and those adults who are still young at
heart) should love.